‘The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway’ (or S.M.J.) was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJ from 1909 to 1923. In 1923 the S.M.J.became a minor arm of the London Midland and Scottish (L.M.S.), then in 1948 'British Railways'

Gone but not forgotten: "the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth"

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Greetings from Bidford & a question re. Arrow river bridge at Broom 6 Replies

Hello everyone, I've just signed up. I'm a lifelong railway enthusiast originally from Dorset; my earliest memory is of being on the train from Wareham to Swanage. I see a few familiar names on here so some of you may know me from the Scalefour…Continue

Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens on Friday.

Burton Dassett Cableway

Please find attached a copy of the OS 6" map 1888 - 1913 series that illustrates the subject cable-way (called a tramway on the map) and also the Burton Dassett sidings. This cable-way is mentioned by Arthur Jordan in hos book on the SMJ at pp45, he…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward Jan 20.

Banbury Merton Road Shed and Britannia Works Tramway 8 Replies

By any chance does anybody have a reasonable photograph of Banbury Merton Road Loco Shed? If so I would like to include into some private research I am intending to share with a small informal group of enthusiasts, it would be greatly…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Colin Franklin Dec 30, 2020.

Michael Mccarthy 2 Replies

I too have received this unusual email, I would think that it a scam. This is the second time I have received it and will always delete it.Continue

Started by Paul Loveday. Last reply by Nicholas Hemming Dec 30, 2020.

SMJ photos

Article in the Meccano Magazine (Aug 1956) describing the SMJR Railtour

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Permalink Reply by alwyn sparrow on November 11, 2014 at 19:04

Souvenir of that trip.

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on November 11, 2014 at 20:15

Robin

Great stuff!

There's a famous photo of the Claud at Kings Cross complete with SMJ headboard. It appeared in the 1958 Observer's Book of Railway Locomotives of Britain. I wonder why it was taken off at Hitchin as Clauds sometimes ran through to Bletchley and where frequently seen at Northampton Castle in the late 50s, was there a problem? Do you have the date of this magazine so that I can add it to the list of articles on the appropriate webpage?

Dick

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Permalink Reply by Robin Cullup on November 11, 2014 at 23:00

Thanks for this, Dick. The article is in the August 1956 edition of Meccano Magazine (page 402) - I've seen (got) many photographs of 43222 on this special, but I've not seen this particular view before.

Robin

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Permalink Reply by Gary on January 16, 2016 at 14:35

The station is Byfield isn't it?
Great bit of history.

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Permalink Reply by Robin Cullup on January 16, 2016 at 15:26

The station is indeed Byfield.

There must have been many hundreds of photos taken of 43222 and train on the SMJ on this Sunday. What is perhaps amazing to us today is that the special ran on a Sunday meaning that several signal boxes must have been opened specially for the train to pass - would the railways go to that trouble and expense today? I doubt it.